Please keep in mind that this app has amazing patch-based modeling and animation functionality. If Mac game developers show great interest and invest in this app, their company may development modules for skeletal and animation exporting distinct for 3-d game engines. I know they currently have that kind of functionality on the PC side of things. For those who render object or character animation for 2-D games will enjoy its rendering option for game sprites.

The app is moderately priced $300 ($200 for educational) and is quite cheaper than many other apps out there (besides the free ones of course). Sure in the past it had it's fair share of minor bugs, but this time around it was re-developed from scratch specifically for OS 10.3!!

Prior to this OS X version, I've had a nice amount of dialog with mac based Hash users. They did mention that they had to create specific extension sets and use their computer more simply as a 3-d workstation and not an all encompassing creative monster.

Due to the multiple resources which the app had to tap into, it required an optimized system with limited apps running at the same time. For the best advice on the newest rendition of the app, check out http://www.hash.com/forum/ for some user feedback. They may also be aware of system tweaks (if any) that may need to be done to provide the best experience with the application.

ProRattaFactor
(Retro-infused games for iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, and Mac)

I have the Animation Master 2000 subscription which lets me download up to version 8.5L. I run it in OS 9.2.2 since Animation Master can't recognize the CD (it has copy protection) in Classic. This problem was fixed in a more recent version (iirc), but my subscription has run out and I am in no hurry to upgrade. My version has serious and seemingly random crashing issues.

Now, about the patch modeling. Hash seems to think it's the best thing since sliced bread. In my experience I found it to be a pain. I could rarely get the patches to render nicely when animating. I much prefer polygon modeling in Lightwave. The opposite is true for animating. Animation Master is a pleasure (when it doesn't crash) to use for animating.

My version can export formats that store skeletal, mesh, and keyframe animations. I use .ply (for mesh and skeletal data), and .mot (for keyframe animation) in my game "Ancient Arena". There's a thread for my game somewhere in the Under Development board. Meshes in a .ply file are polygon based. It's a decent intermediate file format for my purposes, but I'll be using a custom format for the release version of my game. Both formats are easy to parse, and documented by Hash. I e-mailed Hash several months ago and they said that the current version can still export in these formats.

Would I recommend Animation Master? Yes and no. It would be nice if they had a demo version (or maybe they do?) so that people can try it out for themselves. No matter how cheap it is, it can completely turn you off from animating if it crashes constantly. If stability has improved however, I'm sure it is a great bargain.

I concur with Ian, and I knew he would be the voice of reason. I payed for upgrade after upgrade for Hash. Yes, if you are willing to walk a fine line, it can make some nice images. But the cons are too great in this day in age. I think the thing that bugged me the most was their mailing list. I was actually kicked off of it! Me, a person who brings people together! Very dictator like. And as I mentioned, $99 updates almost every year. True they release patches every week, but that was because of the fact they developed on Windows and their Mac apps were so bug infested.

Now, they are shipping Mac OS X native. It could be that all the bugs and bad-points are behind them. Still, I agree that patch modeling isn't for everyone. With Wingz, Cheetah, Blender, and Karl's app coming, if you need cheap, look there. If you need more, look at Amapi 3D or Cararra. Both apps allow you to "talk to the outside world." (ie export/import)

For me, I am about to upgrade my Strata 3D app, which just got a very nice update. I would love to use Cinema, or Maya, but I don't have the time to start from zero. Strata, IMHO, lets you finish the modeling/rendering faster than most apps, though its animation features are outdated.

If I were to do it all over again, I probably would have started with Cinema, but then again, back in the days I started, it was non-Mac.